Christmas Star
by DinoDina
Summary: Charlie and Matteusz decorate their first Christmas tree. Fluffy oneshot.


**Written for Secret Santa for gays4johndenver on Tumblr. Happy holidays! :D**

Miss Quill looked derisively at the schedules they had been mailed. "And I get over two weeks off for this Christmas thing, then?"

Matteusz nodded.

Quill peered more intently at the schedules. "No school for _you_ , either? You'll just… hang around here?"

"That's the idea, I believe," Charlie said with a broad smile. He looked at Matteusz just in case. "Right?"

Matteusz nodded again. "Right."

Quill just groaned and rolled her eyes. As Charlie and Matteusz smiled at each other, she continued eating her breakfast—they were sickening, but there was no way they were going to run her out of her own house. They were gone soon enough, on their way to another part of the house, or even out of it entirely.

Closing the front door behind them, Charlie and Matteusz found themselves on the street, upon which new, bright white snow was falling.

"The shop are that way, right?" Charlie asked, pointing down the street.

Matteusz nodded. "Yes, they both are."

They walked hand-in-hand down the pavement, the new snow crunching under their feet as they left prints in it. The snowfall didn't pick up—and hopefully wouldn't later—because they'd need to make their way back, too, and that would be laden with purchases.

"It's good that we have gloves." Charlie lifted their linked hands.

"Most people wear gloves in the winter, yes," Matteusz agreed. "It would be too cold to hold hands if we did not have them."

Faintly, between the snowflakes, his breath could be seen. It wasn't too cold for walking, since they were both dressed for the weather, but it was noticeably colder than the day before; it would be this cold for the remainder of the week, though the snow forecast kept changing.

Suddenly, Charlie's phone vibrated. He felt it with his right hand, which was in his pocket, and took it out to see a message from April.

"It's in the group chat," he said. "Can you answer?"

Matteusz laughed, and took out his own phone. "Too cold for you?"

"It was never this cold on Rhodia," Charlie grumbled. "It's insane how you all handle it."

Matteusz leaned over and gave him a kiss on the cheek. "We're just used it to it is all."

He read April's message, which had indeed been written in their group chat.

"What does it say?" Charlie asked.

"She cannot make it. Her mum wants to meet Ram, so today, they're cleaning and cooking."

"Tomorrow?" Charlie tilted his head. "I thought April said that Christmas Day is the biggest holiday?"

"It is. I think they all celebrate Christmas with their families—wait, Ram is calling."

Matteusz accepted the call, and Ram's face came into view. Charlie stopped at a red light, and Matteusz, who was saying his hellos, stopped as well.

After saying his own greetings, Ram made an apologetic grimace. "I can't make it today, either. Sorry, guys. Need to buy a gift for April's mum, and, well… I need her to like me, especially after how we met."

"She walked in on you and April after sex, right?"

Matteusz stifled a laugh at Charlie's words.

Ram hung up after that, though he sent a "Sorry, I can't make it either" into the group chat.

"Tanya and her family are visiting her grandparents," Charlie said.

Matteusz nodded. He'd been hoping that their friends could have accompanied them to the shops.

"We'll be fine." Charlie optimistically grinned up at him.

That they would be _fine_ , Matteusz didn't doubt. But neither he nor Charlie had ever done this before. There was no time to lose, however; both of the shops were right in front of them.

Charlie led the way into the first shop, where they would pick their Christmas tree. With the help of an old man who looked slightly like Father Christmas, they managed to find a tree that was just slightly taller than Matteusz.

"And we'll get you boys a tree stand," Father Christmas said kindly. "Do you boys have a car we can fasten the tree to?"

At that, Charlie and Matteusz baulked, and both were silent for a moment.

Father Christmas, however, understood, and seemed to also understand that they were first-time customers. "We can deliver it for an extra fee."

Charlie let out a sigh of relief and grinned. "Thank you."

Father Christmas grinned back. "You boys go up to the front desk with me to pay, then we'll get it all packed up and delivered while you pick out your ornaments next door."

He aksed for their address and credit card, which Matteusz took from Charlie and gave to him, while Charlie texted Quill about the delivery and how much money they had just spent—while Charlie had no concept of Earth currency, she did, much to his annoyance.

"Done," Matteusz suddenly said, and Charlie looked up to find them already paid and standing away from the desk. "Let's go?"

Charlie nodded.

The next shop was much less complicated, organized just like any other, and they walked around, picking various ornaments and fairly lights before charging them all to Quill's credit card.

It was dark when they came outside, and the snow was still falling, though now heavier than before. They didn't hold hands on the walk back, each carrying several bags of purchases. They were even more thankful for the gloves now, since they weren't able to hide their hands in their pockets.

"Are the tree and dinner the only traditions?" Charlie asked when they were about a street away from the house. His breath misted in the dark.

Matteusz thought for a minute. "Some people go to church. But for most, yes, the tree and dinner are the celebration."

"Do _you_ go to church?"

"No, we never did. We celebrated on the Eve, not on Christmas Day." Matteusz paused again, to take a breath an watch it mist away. "That is how it is in Poland. When I was little, we celebrated with my _babcia_. She had this rule: you could only eat after you could see the first star in the sky. That is a tradition, I think. She always let me look for the star."

"It's not the same in England."

"No." Matteusz agreed. He laughed. "But in England, you also do not eat carp for Christmas. You eat goose, I believe. I did not like the carp."

"So no carp?" Charlie asked. "What about dinner?"

"No carp." Matteusz paused again as they approached the front door and unlocked it. "But I would like the dinner tomorrow, if we can? Not on Christmas."

"Of course."

Chalrie tilted his head up to kiss Matteusz, then, grinning, proceeded to the main area of the house, where Quill and the tree were waiting. She, reading on the couch, didn't look pleased about the tree, nor pleased to see them. She didn't say anything as they took off their coats, though, or when they began taking out and unwrapping the ornaments.

"Can we put the lights in there?" Matteusz asked, pointing to an outlet beside the tree.

"Yeah, I think so."

They used three stands of the fairly lights to cover the tree, after which they began hanging the baubles. They hadn't been sure about the color scheme, and so had bought whatever they'd liked, and were now distributing them around the tree. After the baubles came the ornaments: musical instruments, animals, decorated designs.

Charlie and Matteusz talked a bit, trying to figure out if there was a specific way to decorate. They quickly found out that there wasn't, and the task which had seemed enjoyable but daunting became simply enjoyable.

To the question of whether or not she wanted to decorate, Quill had quickly declined, though she was just as quick to inform them whether or not an ornament was hanging incorrectly.

"Here."

"Really?"

Matteusz nodded, urging Charlie to take the star. After several false starts, they put it on together, which got them an exasperated eyeroll and vocal grumble from Miss Quill.

But that didn't matter; the tree was up, complete with fairy lights, ornaments, and a star, and Christmas could finally begin.


End file.
